Take it Easy
by Echante
Summary: Another way Addek could have divorced if Addison hadn't slept with Mark...


A/N: I realize this is a little OOC but I was watching season two and really hating on Derek. And it wouldn't have fit the prompt.

* * *

_Narcissus was a boy who was so fond of his own beauty, that he would scrutinize his appearance each day in the reflection of the lake. One day, he leaned in a little too far and fell in and drowned. Exactly where he fell, a flower blossomed, and it was named Narcissus.

* * *

_

_Took a right, to the end of the line,_

_Where no one ever goes._

_Ended up, on a broken train with nobody I know_

_But the pain and the (longings) the same_

The pool of gel that accumulates in the palm of his hand oozes and conquers until the bottle is sequestered out of his hand by Addison. "Derek." She scolds annoyed, "You don't need that much gel."

He scowls and rolls his eyes and bushes it slowly, entwining it with the sand specked hairs on his head, flipping each brush stroke with narcissistic mastery, scrutinizing each hair, smoothing every unruly imperfection. "You spend more time on your hair then I do." Addison tells him, her mouth commandeered by tooth paste.

"That's because my hair looks better than yours." He tells her shortly.

"Right." She shoots back scoffing.

Derek shrugs and enters the kitchen, "Is this my breakfast?" He calls after his wife.

"Yeah." She yells back at him.

"Okay." He replies. When she exits the bathroom, the toast and pancakes are gone, and the front door had just been slammed shut.

She sighs and sinks into the mahogany chair that's been her foundation against all assaults, her mouth scrunches out and she pokes a fork into the still steaming eggs. She breathes the words across the top, soothing the heat off with her despair, "You could have at least said goodbye."

* * *

"Derek!" She calls, breathless, sprinting to keep up with his strides.

"Not now Addison." He swats her away, peeling off the grip of her finger-tips against the smooth flesh of his upper arm.

"This will be quick." She protests.

"I said, 'not now!'" He groans through gritted teeth and with a quickening of pace, he leaves her far behind.

"The life-time achievement award in neurosciences and surgical technique is a prestigious award."

"Yes. I know Derek, listen, I really have to talk to you."

"Not now Addison! I need every moment. The competition is catching up."

"Derek!"

She clenches her eyes together and when they gather the courage to flutter open again, he's already headed in the opposite direction.

* * *

"Well Ms. Braverman, I can assure you that you are getting the best treatment." He tells her as he pointedly ignores the resident who had previously assumed the surgery to be his.

"Why thank you Dr. Sheppard."

"No problem." He winks at her, "After all, you're case is going to be the deciding matter for my life-time achievement award."

"This is…" The resident tries to interject, unsuccessfully.

"Do you have a question Dr. Hart?" Derek glares.

"No sir."

"Thank you, prep the patient for surgery."

"He's worse than Sloan." The resident mumbles below his breath.

* * *

"Derek."

"Addy! I'm trying to win the…"

Her blue eyes flash ice and her nose positions militantly, but she steadies her voice, "What I want to tell you will help you win."

"Oh." He says dumbly grinning up at her, "Well then let's hear it."

She stares at him with disgust, "I want a divorce."

"How does that help?"

"Figure it out."

* * *

"Now we could do this two ways, we can split your assets into half and divide it equally, or we can go into negotiations where each of you would have lawyer present and debate over the control of each asset individually."

"I still don't understand why you want this divorce in the first place!"

"Do you want me to write it out for you?"

"Please."

"Because you've become, not you are but you've become an arrogant, conceited asshole whose main purpose in life is to win an life-time accomplishment award for a life-time that will probably be over in about five years because you never sleep!"

"Is that all? You know this is important to me!"

"I know. So why would you want to have a wife who holds you back from all of this?"

"You're supposed to help me!"

"And you're supposed to acknowledge me .We're supposed to do a lot of things."

"Addy."

"Derek let's sign…"

"Maybe you guys want some time to discuss this further…"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Derek…" She sighs and the pain illuminates the dark circles beneath her eyes and the wrinkles beside her mouth.

"You have to take me to court. I don't want this divorce."

"Derek."

"Goodbye Addison." And he storms out of the room.

* * *

When he returns home from another 36 hour shift, her possessions are gone and a note is left on his kitchen counter.

_Derek_

_You are a fucking asshole. If you won't take a divorce, I don't have the strength to fight you, but this is a legal separation. Tell me when you get your head out of your ass long enough to bring me a fucking signature. I miss you sometimes you know? Figure that one out._

_Addison_

The evening when he is presented his life-time achievement award comes and goes. But now he doesn't notice. His life has unraveled and his wife has moved across the city. The life which he thought was meaningless had turned out to be the foundation of all meaning, the person who was Derek Sheppard exists no more.

* * *

On March 23, 2002, he receives a photograph in the mail. The subtitle reads, 'Baby's first ultrasound.' The half smile that emits from his mouth is bittersweet. In the midst of nothingness, there's a sight of beauty and suddenly, he has it all figured out.


End file.
